


Dead Flowers.

by LoudandDangerous



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Cute, Dead Flowers, Eventual Smut, Extroverts and Introverts, Flower Child jokes, Flower Crowns, Flowers, Fluff, Happy Ending, I forgot how to tag, I was pissed off, It's a bit sad, It's good I promise, M/M, Please Don't Kill Me, Sad, Screaming, Shit, So I started writing, Two weird kids, Why is screaming eels a tag?, actually, cemetary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-04
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-24 16:37:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4927105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoudandDangerous/pseuds/LoudandDangerous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh Dun likes dead flowers. Nobody knows why. He just likes dead flowers.</p><p>He likes putting them in between glass and keeping them. Often, there's someone who leaves him envelopes of dead flowers and he doesn't know who.</p><p>Tyler Joseph likes giving Josh dead flowers. It's like a symbol of their relationship. Little bit wilted, but beautiful still the same.</p><p>Then Josh receives living flowers. His entire perspective changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Violin Case of Dead Flowers.

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this to get my mind off things because there's this Phanfiction and it's hella cute and someone else JUST COPIED OFF THE ENITRE IDEA AND EVEN THE TITLE TOO!
> 
> I don't know why this makes me upset, it's just--
> 
> These people create their own ideas and you just come along and steal it. Just WHY?!
> 
> I'm pissed so I wrote about dead flowers.

Josh loves dead flowers.

 

The wilted petals. The way the scent has faded, though he could never really smell flowers when they were alive. He likes sneaking his mothers perfume and spraying the dying stem and petals. He just loves dead flowers. 

 

He buys glass squares from A.C Moore and presses the dead flowers in between them. He puts them in a shoe box that he painted. He securely shoves the shoe box under his bed and goes to the cemetery. The leaves crunch under his feet and his breath lingers in the chilly air, but he loves it.

 

He'll see a dead flower and put it in his pocket. So it can be sprayed and sandwiched between glass. Sometimes he hears shuffles, or quiet breathing but he believes it's just his mind. He doesn't want to believe in ghosts, so he doesn't.

 

But it's not a ghost or his mind.

 

It's a boy. His name is Tyler Joseph and Tyler loves watching the blue haired boy looking for wilted flowers. He likes to go picking for dead flowers when Josh is not around. He puts them in an envelope from a Deadpool stationary set and slips them in Josh's locker. Josh doesn't know who the flowers are from. But he loves the feeling that someone likes him enough to give him dead flowers.

 

Dead flowers were possibly a horrid thing to someone. A sign that they were not worthy of living flowers. Breathing, watered flowers. Josh likes flowers like that too, but not as much.

 

Tyler leaves sticky notes on these dead flowers. Sometimes they read names for the flowers and sometimes they spell out sentences. A rose would say 'Hello!' and maybe a Tiger Lily would say 'Have a lovely day, Josh!'. Perhaps they're would be two of the same kind of flowers. A sunflower would say 'My name is Dan!' and another would say 'Phil'

 

Josh waits for these envelopes. He lives and breathes these envelopes and more importantly, wishes to get to know the secret admirer who sends him dead flowers.

 

Today, Tyler stands in the cemetery. He picks dying leaves off trees and a dying gingersnap to put in the envelope reading 'Wade Wilson'. He smiles when he does this and pulls out his sticky note to name to flower. 'Dorothy.' Then his mind wanders over to a flowerbed by a tombstone.

 

He kneels down to picky the flowers but is interrupted by loud crunching leaves and the cemetery gate closing behind him. He hides behind a tree and watches Josh with optimism and curiosity. 

 

The blue haired boy is clutching a violin case. He sits beside the lake of the cemetery and opens the case. Tyler is surprised that there is no violin, but rather leaves. Josh throws the leaves gently in the lake and looks for flowers. He picks the leaves off a flower and smiles when the leaves fall to the lake and drift away.

 

"He loves me."

 

Pick.

 

''He loves me not.''

 

Pick.

 

''He loves me!"

 

Pick.

 

''He loves me not.''

 

Josh continues this for a little while and Tyler loves every second of it. He continues looking at the flowerbed and upon close inspection, classifies them as Snapdragons. Tyler believes Josh would love Snapdragons. Better if they were dead, but the beauty of the living flower speaks to Tyler. He takes hedge cutters out of his satchel and cuts them once Josh leaves with his violin case of dead flowers. Tyler thinks of Josh when he cuts the red Snapdragons.

 

''He loves me."

 

Cut.

 

''He loves me not."

 

Cut.

 

''He loves me."

 

Cut.

 

''He loves me not."

 

Cut.

 

"He loves me."

 

Cut.

 

Tyler thinks that 5 Snapdragons are appropriate. That is how many years he's been observing Josh pick dead flowers. Tyler picks up a red color cup from the ground, littered carelessly. He goes to the lake to fill it with water and happily puts the Snapdragons in the make-shift vase. He smiles and races home with the cup in the grip of the both his hands. He pens down a small note and hole punches the top of the paper. He ties a ribbon in through the loop and ties it around the rim of the dirty cup. He tosses glitter on the flowers and sprays them with perfume the way Josh does.

 

He stares at his creation with a creative grin and takes a nap. When he wakes, it's not there. He panics.

 

It's on the kitchen table where his mother is preparing dinner. 

 

''Lovely for you to make a bouquet for the dinner table." She smiles and turns to the oven, humming slightly.

 

Tyler twitches with a scowl when his younger sister comes down and begins peeling off the petals mindlessly. He snatches the cup from the table and ignores his sister's pout.

 

''Hey! I was playing with that."

 

''And now you're not." Tyler grins and sticks his tongue out.

 

''Tyler, what are you doing?" His mother turns around with the cookbook in her hand. 

 

''I--I--I made these for someone." He mutters and looks down to the floor.

 

''Oh!" His mother's demeanor changes and his sister watches with intent. ''What's her name?"

 

_Her name._

 

_Oh._

 

"Josie?" Tyler fakes, knowing his parents would not like it if 'Josie' were actually 'Josh' and very much a guy.

 

''Hmm…she sounds nice. You should invite her over for dinner." His mother winks and goes back to tending the oven. Tyler's heart drops, but he sheepishly smiles, dodges his sister's all too knowing glare and heads upstairs with the cup in tow.

 

* * *

 

 

Josh likes to think that his admirer is someone he knows. 

 

Perhaps it's Alex? Jack? Brendon? Dallon? Ryan? Tyler? Pete?

 

Josh doesn't know, but he'd be okay with anyone that actually liked him. People don't go for the kid who likes dead flowers. They thinks he's depressed. Sad. Annoying. 

 

But Josh likes dead flowers because he likes thinking about death. 

 

Not his own death. Just the entire concept of death.

 

That just one day, you die. No warning. Just….

 

Dead.

 

Josh likes the flowers because even though they're dead, they're beautiful and death, to Josh, is a beautiful concept. Eternal sleep.

 

The next day, Josh waits for dead flowers in his locker. Either slipped in the top opening or slid under the door. But today, he opens the locker and finds Snapdragons sitting on the top shelf. The cup reads:

 

' _I think you are beautiful and I want to say I love you'_

 

This warms Josh's heart. He loves the note but….

 

The flowers aren't dead.

 

He doesn't know what if means. Is he going to receive more living flowers? Is this a one time thing? What if his admirer doesn't like him anymore?

 

Josh stares at the Snapdragons in the red cup.

 

_And he screams._


	2. Blue Hair Full Of Living Flowers.

Tyler wants to know why Josh's scream is echoing through the halls. Maybe he's getting bullied. Maybe he's just found out horrid news. Maybe he stubbed his toe because Tyler knows how much that hurts.

 

Tyler doesn't think he's screaming over flowers.

 

_Living flowers for that matter._

 

But he is and he's terrified. 

 

"WHAT DO THESE MEAN!?" Josh shouts in Tyler's face almost comically and Tyler believes Josh knows who sent the flowers. "My secret admirer, dead flower delivery person, unknown best friend, possible future spouse gave me living flowers! They should know I don't like living flowers."

 

''Sorry." Tyler mumbles, but remembers that Josh doesn't know who sent the flowers. "I--I mean, I'm sure _they're_ sorry." He stutters to Josh.

 

''No. They mean it. I'm just--I'm afraid of what it means. Maybe they don't like me? Well, no. The note said they loved me. I'm confused, Ty." Josh paces in the hall, classes have begun and Tyler knows they're going to be late.

 

''I think it means they want the relationship to live." Tyler looks to the ground, kicking his foot slightly. Josh puts his hand under Tyler's chin and tilts his head up.

 

''What do you mean 'They want the relationship to live'?"

 

''Well," Tyler takes a Snapdragon out of the cup and places it in Josh's hair. "Have you met them? Your relationship with them doesn't go beyond possibly friends and dead flowers. Dead flowers like your relationship. But they want to know you. They want to see. They want to be with you and they want their relationship to live. Like these flowers." Tyler explains, adding more flowers to Josh's hair. He makes a flower crown and stares into Josh's eyes with optimism.

 

''But--But--But…" He stutters, trying to grasp onto Tyler's words. 

 

"Maybe for the relationship to live, you need to live. You've been at the cemetery for too long." Tyler smiles and heads to class. 

 

Josh is left standing in the hallway with Snapdragons in his hair and a new perspective in his heart. 

 

_'Maybe I need to start living'_

 

Josh turns to the window in the hall. He purses his lips and calls after Tyler. Tyler turns around as Josh races toward him.

 

''I want to start living. I need to go to the cemetery.''

 

''Isn't that a contradiction?" Tyler lazily replies, pushing a flower back in place in Josh's hair. 

 

''No. Because guess what? Death makes me live. In order to understand what this means, I gotta understand what the message is."

 

''You're looking too deep into this. Maybe they just wanna kiss and fuck you." Tyler shrugs, playing it off because he knows those aren't his intentions. He wants to kiss Josh, cuddle, make him know he's loved, love him, maybe fuck him and when the moment is right, get down on one knee.

 

"No, Tyler. I know it's you."

 

Tyler swallows hard and panics.

 

''I know it's you. You're the only one who can help me understand this and find out who it is." Josh finishes.

 

Tyler doesn't pass out when Josh grips his hand and makes him drop his books on the school floor. 

 

''IT'S TIME FOR SOME SELF DISCOVERY!" Josh clicks his heels and runs with Tyler out of the school. 

 

The flowers flow in his hair and Tyler smiles at this before realizing that Josh's plans are absolutely crazy.

 

"Self Discovery, Bat Shit Craziness. What's next, we run away to find ourselves?" Tyler smirks but it drops when Josh turns around with a grin. A maniacal grin, at that.

 

_''I accept that offer."_


	3. Cemetery of Crazy People.

Tyler doesn't want to know why the boy with hair full of blue dye and Snapdragons wants to run away and 'find himself'. He also doesn't want to know why Josh was dragging him into this. 

 

He just cared that he was with Josh.

 

He wonders if Josh actually has a violin to accompany the case and better yet, if he actually knows how to play violin.

 

Tyler shakes off the idea because Josh doesn't seem like the kind of guy to play violin. His personality radiates electric guitar, loud drums, cymbals crashing, piano riff.

 

Tyler is like the triangle that sits by the side, waiting to be used for the brief  _ting!_ in the song.

 

Now Josh's electric guitar is blaring, riffs like a Metallica song. 

 

''Aren't we going to take your car?" Tyler wonders frantically, believing he is the only sensible one in this situation.

 

''We could, but there's no fun in that." Josh shrugs. ''Come on, I'll piggyback you there." Josh turns around and points to his back.

 

Tyler is hesitant. _What the fuck is Josh smoking?_ Tyler wonders. But as he jumps on Josh's back and comfortably nuzzles into Josh's neck, he has the second thought.  _And where can I can some?_

 

Riding on Josh's back, seeing Snapdragons flow in his blue hair gives Tyler a new perspective. Something about beauty, he thinks. He expects to see a lens flare when he looks at the sky and he's A-okay with that when he doesn't see one. Something about this moment. Something about Josh.

 

Josh helped him polarize.

 

Tyler has failed to realize that the cemetery was not that far from the school. But today the cemetery was empty, save for a family visiting their son and Tyler knows Josh needs to tip toe around them. They don't want to disturb the peace of the mourners.

 

They can see inside, but the gates to the cemetery are closed. They seem to be jammed and Tyler looks remorsefully at the morose boy with blue hair and Snapdragons beside him. Tyler thinks before his illation sparks like a firework.

 

''Throw me." Tyler whispers to Josh.

 

Now it is Josh's turn to look at the other as if he were a mad man. ''What?" He says sharply.

 

''You heard me, Dun.  _Fucking Throw me."_

 

Josh stares at Tyler before gripping his waist and hoisting him above his head. "If you die--''

 

''I won't"

 

With that settlement, Josh flings Tyler over the gate and watches as he tumbles onto the grass, rolling and staining his shirt with grass and green. Tyler smiles like a puppy and brushes himself off, standing to open the gate. 

 

''I told you I wouldn't die." Tyler shrugs and smirks when he lets Josh in.

 

''It's a cemetery of crazy people." Josh shakes his head.

 

Josh tiptoes beside Tyler and runs over the bridge overlooking the small pond. Josh dips his shoes into the water briefly, soaking his grey Converse. Tyler dips the tip of his floral Vans into the water but hisses at the cold and retracts his shoe from the pond. 

 

They stay silent, Tyler ripping some dead roses and placing the petals in Josh's hair.

 

Tyler thinks that he would like Snapdragons and Roses at his funeral. ''I've never seen baby pigeon." Josh perks up randomly.

 

''….I've never seen one either."

 

''Like, do they even exist? Or are they just born adult pigeons? Think about it, _'Hey Timmy! You were just born but now you gotta learn how to harass people for french fries in New York!'_ " Tyler laughs and he could get used to this. Sitting with Josh in a cemetery, putting dead flowers in his hair and king jokes. 

 

''Baby pigeons would be adorable. I mean, you know they way pigeons heads move when they walk? Just imagine that, but…. _littler_ pigeons doing it." Tyler stands up and goes to a flower bed of some dead Tiger Lilies.  _  
_

 

''Let's run away." Josh's voice is serious, all talks of baby pigeons has ended. "Seriously. Just leave, find ourselves and see what those living flowers mean."

 

''I already told you what they mean." Tyler retorts, now those thoughts are back:  _What the fuck is Josh smoking? Can't be weed, maybe LSD?_

 

"But how do _you_ know? You're not the one who sent them." 

 

Tyler knows he should say something now. He  _needs to._ But he doesn't.

 

"Let's do it. Let's run away."

 

* * *

 

 

When the dust is down and the shadows burn, Tyler finishes packing his backpack. Waiting anxiously about this plan, but somehow confident. He hears the knocking on his window in a pattern, but he doesn't get up to answer it. The window creaks open, Josh crawls inside and sits on Tyler's bed. Tyler sitting opposite of him with his knees pulled to his chest.

 

''You ready to go?"

 

Tyler nods, unsure but losing these thoughts. He's dug a hole too deep now. So when he follows Josh down the ladder propped against his window, closing his window and standing outside in the darkness. He follows Josh to his car, folding up the ladder and sliding it inside the trunk.

 

''…Vamos, Dora." Josh smirks as he gets into the car.

 

Tyler sighs as he sits in the passenger seat. ''…Let's leave Columbus, Boots." Tyler snickers.

 

Josh turns on the car and drives. ''I'm not Boots and you know it."

 

''Yeah, I know you're not Boots. You're crazy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE FANFICTION THAT COPIED PITY PARTY GOT DELETED OHMYGOD.
> 
> I'M AT HOME SICK AND THIS JUST MADE MY FUCKIN DAY


	4. Highway full of Sane People.

The car ride is quiet. Well, the first half of it.

 

The second part is filled with Josh mumbling theories to himself. "Maybe they--they just don't like me anymore." He takes a deep breath. "What if they just wanna be friends?" 

 

"I think they want--'' Tyler's unfortunately cut off.

 

''I don't know! If they know that I just like dead flowers, and they give me living flowers…they weren't just being nice. They had a motive and whatever it was, I don't like it. Dead flowers keep me sane. Living flowers are just hell."

 

"What if I'm the one who sent the flowers? What if I--''

 

''--you would've told me already. You wouldn't have run away with me if you did, you would've just told me your motive and I would've calmed the fuck down."

 

Tyler snaps his mouth shut. Josh had a point and he wasn't going to piss Josh off now by owning up. That just might be his downfall. Josh pulls the steering wheel into a gas station. He sends Tyler inside the store to buy chips, and that's when he's given time to ponder. 

 

"--don't break down. Don't break, don't fall. Don't break, don't fall. Feet first--"

 

"--Is barbecue okay?" Tyler swings the door open, holding the black Lays bag. He grins, raising an eyebrow inquistively to Josh. Josh is startled, but he smiles wide, faking, and nods. "Oh, good." Tyler sighs, laughing under his breath. "I already bought it anyway so I wasnt going to bring it back. I have salt and vinegar, sour cream and onion, classic and pretzels. I bought a box of Capri-Sun, just don't drink it all at once." He playfully nudges Josh's side, Josh darts his head to Tyler, cheeks red as if he were crying. He has been, but Tyler doesn't know. 

 

"Let's see how long it takes your parents to catch us." He pulls out the station, pulling the steering wheel for a few miles until the passing orange shadows of the street light end and the long stretch of highway is ahead of them. Josh keeps his hands tight on the steering wheel. Keeps it steady when they pass over the bridge and Josh remembers he has Tyler's fucking life in his hands now. A beating heart. Josh doesn't panic, he gets calmer. Loosening his grip just a bit when Tyler turns on the radio. 

 

"And congrats to Raina Ann Mason for winning the Columbus lotto! In other news, please be on the loo out for a grey Honda accord. Plate number 618D28. Two boys are on an alert, Joshua William Dun and Tyler Robert Joseph are on the alert as they were last seen last night. Josh has been described as blue hair, brown eyes and Tyler has brown hair, brown eyes. If you have any information, please contact 911."

 

Josh stops, accelerating on the bridge and pulling into an abandoned car yard. He hops out, unscrewing a plate from a truck and securing it onto his own. "Josh, what are you doing? That's a crime!"

 

"See that highway full of sane people? Sane people are willing to call the cops. They have the plate number, but now.." He bends both front and back plate, hurling them into a pile of scrap metal. "..they don't. Come on." He motions Tyler to the car once more. "Let's go find ourselves."

 

"Josh you're crazy. You're a psychopath."

 

"Ehh....I prefer 'creative'" He pulls the car and joins the highway again.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> YOU GUYS KNOW MY OTHER FANFIC PITY PARTY? WELL SOME MOTHERUFCKER STOLE MY IDEA AND COPIED EVERYTHING. WORDS, STORY EVEN THE SAME GODDAMN SUMMARY AND IM PISSED OFF I NEED TO RANT. SPEAK OF THE DEVIL BECAUSE I WROTE DEAD FLOWERS ABOUT A STOLEN FANFICTION AND ITS BEING THROWN BACK IN MY FACE.


End file.
